(CNSNews.com) - House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday he believes that Democrats are hoping for a government shutdown to score political points. With the fiscal year already half over, the two parties have been unable to agree on a budget, instead funding government operations with stopgap bills called continuing resolutions.

“Here’s the bottom line. Democrats are rooting for a government shutdown,” Bohner said at a Capitol Hill Press conference. "We’re listening to the people who sent us here to cut spending so we can grow our economy. As I’ve said from the beginning, our goal is to cut spending, not shut down the government.”

Boehner’s comments came only days after former DNC Chairman Howard Dean said that he thought that a government shutdown would be politically beneficial to the Democratic Party...

(CNSNews.com) – Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean says Democrats campaigning for the Nov. 2 mid-term elections should wait until they win before “educating” constituents about the benefits they will derive from the health care law signed into law by President Barack Obama in March.

Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition, asked Dean on Saturday why Democrats are not touting the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act while campaigning.

“I don't think we should be making the case right now,” Dean said. “Elections are not the time to educate people. You win the election, then you educate people afterwards,” Dean said...